Jakarta – The political system in Indonesia is controlled by a capitalist oligarchy. This group represents a handful of individuals who use material power to determine political policies and the election of public officials.

Man: Prices are under control... there’s a ‘driver’ right

From an oped piece titled The Social Exhibitionism of Politikus (Politikus – literally ‘political rat’, a derogatory term for politicians)

Kid: BaLSeM. Warm... provides instant relief for kerokan (after oiling and scraping the body) and soreness!

Man: Will it reach its target, no, yes? (chest reads Fuel Compensation Funds, book reads 2013 State Budget)

Man: Simalakama fruit is sweet too right Mr? (a play on the saying “Like eating Simalakama fruit, if you eat it your father will die, if you don’t your mother will die”)

Next year’s legislative election is unlikely to yield any improvement in the quality of lawmakers since political parties have selected candidates based on popularity rather than ability, with an Indonesian Voters Institute analysis of the candidate lists submitted by the 12 parties participating in next year’s ballot finding most contenders are

Man: Ready to win Mr?

Cakada: Yep

Man: Are you also prepared to loose?

Cakada: Yep...

Bomb reads: Terrorism, Bank Century scandal, Lapindo mudflow disaster, Hambalang corruption scandal, narcotics, police general’s fat bank accounts, beef import scandal, fuel price hikes, Poso sectarian violence, etc...

Man: Congratulations Mr [President]

Jakarta – The chairperson of the country’s top religious body the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI), KH Ma’ruf Amin is calling on all parties to be on guard against the reemergence of the Indonesian communist movement.

Newspaper reads: Housing prices continue to rise, Palace of the Gods only 2.8 billion [rupiah].

Man: Is that the price, its so low...

Is Mujiarso, Jakarta – Even when he was a political fugitive, Wiji Thukul could still joke. When it was raining, he once wrote in a poem: The rain falls tonight/to protect me/the secret police with such small wages/must be really annoyed...

Ali Akhmad, Jakarta – As many as 29 women’s community groups from the Indonesian Women’s Action Committee (KAPI) commemorated 20 years since the murder of Marsinah by holding a candlelight vigil at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta on the evening of May 8.

Achmad Faizal, Surabaya – Scores of women workers from various different groups in East Java held an action on Wednesday May 8 in the provincial capital of Surabaya to commemorate 20 years since the death of Marsinah, a women worker who was murdered on May 8, 1993.

Badge reads: Celebrity legislative candidate

1st Man: Is this Indonesian Idol or Indonesia searching for talent?

2nd Man: Let’s hope it’s not a stand up comedy...

National police chief General Timur Pradopo: ABC! Criminal Code! XYZ!

Man: The law is right... but law enforcers?

Cop: Excuse me

Timika – Thousands of workers employed in the PT Freeport Indonesia mining concession area in Mimika regency, West Papua, commemorated May Day by observing a moment of silence and reading out the Workers Oath at their respective workplaces.

An International Labour Day (May Day) demonstration in Bogor, West Java, descended into chaos when police and military tried to prevent hundreds of workers from the National Trade Union (SPN) from travelling to Jakarta.